Wheel support



u y 4, 1939- A. l. "I'OLLEFSON 2,164,554

WHEEL SUPPORT Filed June 15, 1936 INVENTOR. fldal vk .l. fizle fsan ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1939 WHEEL SUPPORT Adolph I. Tollefson, Benson,Minn.

Application June 15,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a wheel support and has for its general objectthe provision of novel and improved mechanism for interchangeablyapplying wheels to vehicles or implements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedwheel support by means of which a wheel carrying spindle assembly can bequickly and readily associated with and removed from a vehicle orimplement.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved wheel support for avehicle or implement which will consist of a wheel supported member, amember supporting a vehicle or implement, and complemental interengagingmeans upon the wheel supported member and the vehicle or implementsupported member, respectively, adapted to be detachably assembled insuch manner that the weight of the vehicle or implement will maintainsaid complemental means in interengaged relation to properly andsatisfactorily mount the vehicle or implement upon carrying wheelstherefor.

A further object is to provide a wheel support as set forth in thepreceding paragraph, wherein a single bolt can be employed to insurethat the wheel supported member and the vehicle or implement supportingmember will not become disassembled by bumping or jolting movements ofthe vehicle or implement over the ground.

A further object is to provide a wheel support including an elementpermanently associated with a wheel spindle and an element permanentlyassociated with a vehicle or implement which is to be wheel supported,as, for example, an element assembled with an axle of the vehicle orimplement, said mentioned elements associated with said wheel spindleand with said vehicle or implement, respectively, being complemental andbeing adapted to be detachably assembled and to maintain assembledrelationship by reason of the weight of the vehicle or implement.

And a further object is to provide an interchangeable wheel supportwherein will be incorporated various novel and improved features andcharacteristics of construction.

With the above objects in view, as well as others which will appear asthe specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction,arrangement and combination of parts as now to be fully described and ashereinafter to be specifically claimed, it being understood that thedisclosure herein is merely illustrative and intended in no way in alimiting sense, changes in details of construction and arrangement ofparts being permissible so long as within the spirit of 1936, Serial No.85,301

the invention and the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a wheel support including the featuresand characteristics of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the vehicle sup porting element removedfrom the wheel supported element of the wheel support; and

. Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 55 in Fig. 3.

With respect to the drawing and the numerals of reference thereon, isdenotes a wheel supported element permanently associated with a spindleii for a wheel (not shown), and I2 represents a vehicle or implementsupporting element permanently associated with a vehicle or implement(not shown) as by welding to an axle l3 of said vehicle or implement.

The wheel supported element iii and the vehicle or implement supportingelement 52 are complemental and are adapted to be detachaoly assembledwith each other and to maintain assembled relationship by gravitysupport of the vehicle or implement by a wheel carried by the spindlell. Said spindle and its wheel can be assembled together in any wellknown or preferred manner.

It will be understood that the wheel support herein presented can beemployed in connection with wheeled vehicles or implements of any kind,and in practice there will be one of the wheel supports for each wheelof the vehicle or implement.

As disclosed, the wheel supported element l0 consists of a plate i lsuitably welded to the inner end of the spindle I! and extending atright angles to said spindle, and an upwardly opening pocket or socketis at the lower portion of said plate i l and at the side thereofopposite the spindle, The pocket or socket i5 is beneath the elevationof the spindle H.

The vehicle or implement supporting element I2 consists of a plug orplate integral with one end of the axle l3 and extending at right anglesto said axle.

The plug or plate l2 has opposite fiat surfaces, indicated it and H,respectively, and parallel opposite side edges It, IS which arevertically disposed. The lower portion of said plug or plate i2 includesdownwardly converging edges I9, I9 which extend from the lower ends ofthe opposite edges I8, I8 and meet in a plane extending verticallythrough the midwidth of the plug or plate, and said edges I9, I9 arebeveled. That is, the edges I9, I9 slant downwardly and outwardly, or indirection away from the adjacent end of the axle I3, as indicated at 29.

The plate part of the wheel supported element I0 includes a flat surface2I opposite the spindle II and adapted to be engaged by the fiat surfacell of the plug or plate I2, and the pocket or socket part of said wheelsupported element I9 includes a base 22 having upper surfaces 23, 23which converge as at 24, 24 and are beveled as at 25 in the manner asdescribed in connection with the edges I9, I9 of the plug or plate I2 sothat said edges I9, I9 will seat firmly against said upper surfaces 23,23 when the elements I9 and I2 are assembled. That is to say, thebeveled surfaces 25, 20 seat against the beveled surfaces 25, 25. Thewheel supported element Ill also includes vertical walls 26, 26 at theopposite sides of the upper portion of the pocket or socket I5 and atthe opposite sides of the plate I4 and opposite the spindle II. Saidvertical walls 26, 26 provide vertical parallel surfaces 21, 21 whichare contiguous with the opposite edges I8, I8 of the plug or plate I2when the elements II] and I2 are assembled.

A cross piece 28 of general V-shape completes the pocket or socket I5.Said cross piece 28 includes a surface 29 thereof suitably secured tothe adjacent surface of the base 22 and upstanding portions 30, 39extending above said base 22. The portions 39, 30 converge at the sameangle as do the surfaces 23, 23 and the upper edge of each portion 39 isparallel with the surface 23 just beneath it. Said portions 39, 39provide a fiat surface or surfaces 3| in contiguous relation with thelower portion of the surface E5 of the element I2 when the elements It:and I2 are assembled. See Fig. 2. The cross piece 28 extends the fullwidth of the element H] as disclosed in Fig. 1. At the locations of thewalls 26, 26 the upper portions of the cross piece 28 are horizontal.

It will be evident that the base 22 of the pocket or socket I5 and theupper surfaces of said base 22 have width substantially equal to thethickness of the plug or plate I2 and to the width of the edges I9, I9of said plug or plate. Also, the vertical surfaces 21, 21 of the walls26, 26 upon the element II) are spaced apart to snugly receive theelement I2 between said surfaces when said element I2 is assembled withthe pocket or socket I5, with the opposite edges I8, I8 of the elementI2 in engagement with said vertical surfaces 21, 21. See Fig. 5.

. To assemble the elements It and i2, said element I2 is first placedadjacent the pocket or socket I5 of said element I0 and then insertedinto said pocket or socket. To disassemble the elements I0 and I2, saidelement I2 is lifted out of said pocket or socket I5. A headed andnutted bolt 32 loosely arranged in openings 33 in upper portions of theplug or plate I2 and the plate I4 may constitute means for precludingdisassembly of the elements It and I2 by bumping or jolting movements ofthe vehicle or implement over the ground. In some cases, a headed andnutted bolt such as 32 may constitute an essential part of the wheelsupport. An outlet 34 through the lower portion of the base 22 is forthe obvious purpose of releasing dirt from the pocket or socket I5.

The lower or pocket or socket portion of the element Iii desirably hasgreater weight than the upper portion of said element I0 so that thepocket or socket I5 will open vertically upward when the elements I0 andI2 are disassembled. Thus the unit including the spindle I I with wheeland the element Iii can readily be moved to position so that the surface2! is engaged by the surface I'I, with the element I2 directly above thepocket or socket I5, and the vehicle or implement lowered to drop saidelement I2 into said pocket or socket. Ordinarily, the vehicle orimplement to be provided with wheels will 1 be upon jacks or othersupports and at elevation somewhat above the wheel spindles. The boltholes 33 are of course in alinement when the element I2 is seated in theelement I9.

It will be evident that the weight of a vehicle upon wheels carried byspindles such as ll having elements such as Iii interengaged withelements such as I2, in the manner as set forth, will cause the elementssuch as I2 to be tightly seated in pockets or sockets such as I5, andwill also cause the adjacent surfaces such as 2i and ii of elements suchas In and i2 to be in pressing engagement. That is to say, the load willinsure the interengagement of elements such as id and I2 and will exertits pressure to maintain the plug or plate I2 and the plate I l in firmengagement. The pressure of the load will be directed mainly toward theside of the pocket or socket I5 adjacent the plate I4.

A wheel support made according to the invention can be employed oneither side of a vehicle or implement, at front, rear, or intermediatelocation thereof. The interengagement of the surfaces I8, 21 and I8, 27and I9, 23 and I9, 23 and the beveled surfaces 26, 25 and 28, 25 alwaysinsures a tight fit. Should any of the surfaces I9, 25, 23, 25 becomeworn in use, the weight of the vehicle or implement will yet insure atight fit by maintaining the surfaces I9, 233 of the element I2 in firmengagement with the surfaces 23, of the base 22. By reason of the pocketor socket I5 having downwardly converging bottom and element I2 havingdownwardly converging lower portion, said element I2 will always seat inthe bottom of said pocket or socket I5 in spite of wear. By reason ofthe interengaging beveled surfaces 25 and 25, the element I2 is gravityheld against the surface 2i with very little if any pressure against thecross piece 28 or the bolt 32. The loose fit of said bolt is of courseto allow the element I2 to settle itself in the pocket or socket 55 asparts become worn. Clearly, the bolt is unnecessary except to insurethat the element 52 will not become accidentally displaced, by upwardmovement against the load, from the pocket or socket of the element Iii.As the load is hauled, in either direction, relative movement betweenthe elements If! and i2 is precluded by interengagement of the surfacesi8, 2? and I9, 23, as will be obvious.

In some instances when an axle such as It is to have rotation, a bolt orbolts such as 32 will be employed as a positive connecting means of thewheel support, it being evident that save for a tight connection at thelocation of the bolt the elements IE] and I2 would become disconnectedwere the wheel support itself turned upside down.

It should be remarked that while the description herein is of a pocketor socket I5 and an element I2 having explicitly recited structure, the

complemental interengaging means of the wheel support can, plainly, beof variant constructure. For example, the receiving means for theelement l2 need not necessarily be a complete pocket or socket. Anyequivalent satisfactory arrangement could be substituted. In someinstances it may be desirable to carry the so-called pocket or socketmember, or equivalent, upon the vehicle or implement and the so-calledmale element upon the wheel spindle.

The wheel support of the invention can be referred to as a quick changespindle assembly. The interchange of wheels can evidently be very easilymade. The device does not require grease and is clean.

By employment of the principle of the invention a single set of rubbertired wheels can serve a number of different vehicles and implements.Thus large savings can be eifected. The hubs and ball or roller bearingsof interchangeable wheels or rims are expensive. Many vehicles andimplements are used for only a few days each year. It is desirable tohave wheeled vehicles and implements rubber equipped both to eliminatevibration and for tight draft. That rubber deteriorates considerablywhen out of use is well known. The quickly and readily interchangeableand practical wheel support of the invention makes provision for use ofrubber equipped vehicles or implements with but a minimum of rubbersubjected to deterioration during slack seasons. Said wheel support alsomakes provision for cutting the initial expense of equipping vehiclesand implements with rubber by rendering one set of rubber wheelssufiicient for a plurality of vehicles and implements. The wheel supportis of course usable with wheels of any character, whether or not rubberequipped.

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel support comprising a first element to be associated with awheel spindle and a second element to be associated with a vehicle to bewheel supported, said first element including a plate member disposedsubstantially in rightangle relation to said wheel spindle and having anupwardly opening pocket at the side of the plate member opposite saidwheel spindle and below its longitudinal axis, said second elementincluding a plug member adapted to be removably received in said pocket,said pocket being defined at its lower portion by a base member,

at one of its sides by a surface of said plate member above said basemember and at its opposite side by a member rigid with and spaced fromthe plate member in the plane thereof, and said plug member beingadapted to lie freely in said pocket against said base member with outerand inner surfaces of the plug member between said plate member and saidrigid member in proximate relation to the last mentioned members,respectively.

2. A wheel support comprising a first element to be associated with awheel spindle and a second element to be associated with a vehicle whichis to be wheel supported, said first element including a plate memberdisposed substantially in right-angle relation to said wheel spindle andhaving an upwardly opening pocket at the side of said plate memberopposite said wheel spindle and below its longitudinal axis, said secondelement including a plug member adapted to be removably received in saidpocket, said pocket being defined at its lower portion by a base memberhaving downwardly converging surfaces, at its outer side by a surface ofsaid plate member above said base member and at its inner side by amember rigid with and spaced from the plate member in the plane thereof,and said plug member having downwardly converging surfaces and beingadapted to lie freely in said pocket with the outer and inner surfacesof the plug member between said plate member and said rigid member inproximate relation to the last mentioned members, respectively, withsaid downwardly converging surfaces of the plug member against thedownwardly converging surfaces of said base member.

3. The combination as specified in claim 2, and means in spaced relationto said pocket for detachably connecting said plate member and said plugmember to each other.

4. The combination as specified in claim 2, wherein the converging,engaging surfaces of said plug member and said base member,respectively, slant obliquely in direction longitudinally of said wheelspindle.

5. The combination as specified in claim 2, and members upon said platemember above said pocket at the opposite edges of and in engagement withsaid plug member when in said pocket.

ADOLPH I. TOLLEFSON.

